Combine



Oct. 19, 1943. A. w. oEHLER 2,332,006

COMBINE Filed June 30, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l -HZ- 56 62 e5 COMBINE Filed June 30, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 19, 1943 2,332,0osl

y COMBINEV A AlvinW. Oehler, Moline; lIlll.,assig'lior t Dee'i'e: & Company, Moline,l Ill'., a, corporation of'liiiios. Application@ Jnn 30, 1941;;SeriliNo40m387;

The-presenty invention relates generally toLhar vestersv and more pafrtieularlyto` harvester ltliresliers' and has for its'principal objecttlie Vprovision of a novel, improved, and more efficient harvestingmechanism for gathering standing grain from the eld= and delivering` the-same tothe body of thelfiarvester for threshingforothercrop treating process. 1 l

A further object oftl'iiswinvention relates to the provision of av harvester in Winona-y maxirrimn widthkoi cut is provided'without thenecessityof removing a section of the harvester platform for transport purposes.

Conventional combines ofthe type having an auger conveyor on the 'platioriri'` for delivering `the harvested' crop laterally to the feeder house''are known" to operate withfliigh ef'cieney in grain which 'isi not too tall; but t'all" grain when severed; tends to fall back againstthe back Wall' of` the platform and is not as. readily engaged' bythe auger. It is, therefore, a further object of the present invention to provide a harvester platform having. a transverse, auger. conveyor whichy will handle grain of all heights. In the. accomplishment of this objectj the auger is disposedV in: an elevatedvr position',. while the grain; is conveyed rearwardly fromitheicutter bar to the auger by a short; lengtliof: conveyor of. the flexible. endless A type: i g These and* other objects `and` advantages of. my inventionwill be apparent -to those .skilled in" the art after' a consideration'of the following'deseriptioninv/nich referencel is had to the drawings appendedhereto,` irrfwhich 'i Figure lisa plan View of tl'relforwardportinof afharvester 'embodying the principlesof myfinjvem tion; Figure 2 is a" sectional elevational' View taken along a line' 2-21 in Figure' I and drawn -to an enlargedscale; n

fFigure 3 is a planrview showing'a modification of my. inventionj Figure 4 isa sectional elevatinalviewtaken along a.. line. '4-4. in'v yFigure 3T and .drawnid' an enlarged,scaleY l Y Figure 5 is a planview showinga secondmodiilcation of my invention;` s -4 Figure; 6; isV a sectional elevational viewitaken along a line 6-61i`m Figure 5 and,drawntojA an enlargedzsoale;

Figure?? isa planview'showinga thirdfmodii cationsoi my'invention; y I Figui'ezfis: a; sectional; '.elevational: View taken r m'mers ifi; riaiintne'transporc' positiun shown agrainward, :direction .rioni ythe side. oltiffeedr" by welding, to the outer surface of the cylinder 32. The grainward end of the supporting shaft 3l is journaled in a bearing 34 supported on the end wall 35 of the platform conveyor trough 21, and the opposite end of the shaft 3l is journaled in ay bearing 36, spaced from the opposite end of the auger, and supported on a standard 31, which extends outwardly through a slot 38 in the cylinder 32 and inclined upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. The conveyor trough 21 also extends rearwardly of the auger 30 and has a generally vertical back wall 39 which is spaced from the auger 30 to provide a grain pocket 46 through which the harvested crop is moved by the auger when the latter is rotated. The pocket 40 is closed by a generally horizontal, forwardly extending plate 4l, fixed to the upper edgeof the back wall 3S and having a downwardly turned forward edge 42 closely adjacent the edge of the helical blade 33 and serving as a stripper edge'for preventing harvested material from` being carried over the topof the rauger as the` latter revolves. The standard 31 extends over thetopnf'the stripperjplate 4l and has adownwardly extending supporting leg 43, which is fixed to the back wall 39 of the` conveyor trough. During operation the auger 36 turns in aclockwise direction,4 as viewed in Figure 2, moving harvested, crop material laterally inwardly through the pocket 46 toward the lfeeder house 26. Since the stripper edge 42l preventsv material' from being carried over the auger, the material does notbecorne entangled with the bearingstandard; 31 but is crowded into the pocket 46.and is moved inwardly therealong. The diameter ofthe cylindrical tubular member 32 is great en'o'ughso` that stalks and vines have little tendency to wrap `around the latter.

-.The bottom. of the feeder house 26 is depressed appreciably below the trough 21, as indicated at45, and disposed Within the feeder house 4inthe lower portion thereof is a flexible endless conveyor 4,6 comprising a pair of laterally spaced endless chains 41 interconnected by a plurality of spaced` slats 48.` The chains 41 are trained over al pairof rollers 49, D at the upper and lower endsof'the feeder house, respectively. The inner end of the auger terminates adjacentthe'outer side wall of the feeder house, and since the trough." 21 communicates with the feeder house 26 at an elevation higher than the upper run of the conveyor 46, the harvester crop material discharged from the end of the auger 30 'falls't'o the upper run of the conveyor 46 which sweeps the crop material upwardly and rearwardly over a deck 5| and delivers the material through the opening 25.

At the rear of the feeder house 26, an upper raddle 52 assists in crowding the crop material into the opening 25. i

The harvested crop is delivered to the auger by means of a'platform conveyor 55 carried on avertically kadjustable harvester platform, in-

dicated in its entirety by reference numeral 56, and pivotally connected to the forward edge of the trough 21 providing for vertical swinging movement about the transverse axis of a shaft 51. The platform 56 extends transversely across the entire width of the machine including the feeder housing 26 and the auger conveyor trough 21, and the conveyor 55 Vis substantially coextensive with the width of the platform 56. Y

The conveyor 55 comprises a pair of flexible endless conveyor sections disposed side by side on the-platform 56,` each of the sections comform 65 on suitable standards 61.

sickle and cutter bar and is laid upon the conveyor 55 by means of a conventional harvester ,reel 66, rotatably supported on the pivoted plat- The upper end ofthe conveyor 55 sweeps the crop upwardly and rearwardly over a deck sheet 68,V

and at the upper end of the platform 56 the conveyor 55 discharges the material into the trough 21 and into the feeder house 26. Since the upper end of the platform 56 is substantially at the level of the conveyor trough 21, the portionA of the conveyor 55 ahead of the feeder house conveyor 46, is appreciably higher than the latter. For this reason an inclined chute or apron 69 between :the upper end of the platform 56 andthe conveyor 46, guides the harvested material which is discharged thereon to the upper run of the conveyor 46. v

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that unusually tall grain"`can be successfully harvested by theharvester described above, for

it falls 'upon the 'platform' conveyor, 55, which delivers it head-first to either the'feeder house conveyor 46 or the auger 36 and there is no chance for the tall stalks to lie against the back wall 39 of the trough 21, as sometimes occurs in the conventional auger type platform. The vertically adjustable; section of the platform 56 swings about the shaft 51 which is coaxial with the upper conveyor roller 6l and thus the elevation of the cutter bar 65 does not affect the relationV between the upper end of the conveyor 55 and the auger conveyor 36, but it will be readily understood that the helical vane 33 acts to strip the crop material from the platform elevator 55. Although the mechanism for raising and lowering the platform is omitted herein for the sake of clearness, it is to be understood that any suitable conventional mechanism can be used for this purpose. Other conventional details of construction have also been omitted in ordery to simplify the drawings and description.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3 and 4, many of the details are similar to those in the embodiment of Figures l and 2 and have been indicated by similar reference numerals, by the suix a.

This embodimentdiffers from the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 in that the` forward end 56a of the platform is rigidly mounted on the auger trough 21a instead of being pivoted as in the foregoing embodiment, so that the auger trough 21a, the forward portion 56a, and the feeder house 26a all comprise one rigid structure which is pivotally connected to the forward end of the body IDa for vertical swinging movement about a transverse axis. The unitary platform structure is supported on a transversely disposed pipe bear 16a, which is supported on the forward end of the body I 6a and extends laterally in a grainward direction to an outboard support in the form of an arm 1la,carried on the transverse beam |2a and extending upwardly and forwardf ly therefrom and having a journal bearing 12a forward-end which-*the platform support'- ing' beam 'mais rotatablycarried.y The grain- -ward end of 4 the platformjstructure is supported t byi anarmI 13d, isfrig'idl'y fixed to the platfomn vstructure and to the extendedfouterend of they pipe beam a. t A- ounterbalancing spring '14a 4is -Vconnected 'between' the thresherI body -I 0a and' anarm 15a; which isfrigidly attachedt'o'the beaIrr'Hlc'Lf.l Y' l' Inthis embodiment, the: feeder `housecenveyor f 46aterminates approximatelyinjrid-Way of the latter anddeposits thecrop Vmaterialen the floor 8%aof the feederv house; The crop`-material is swept upwardly and rearwardly-alongthe floor iiapfthe rear' portion ofthe feeder house v26a intothe opening inthe vbodyjllla.- by means Aof a raddle conveyor 8 Ia, the lower flight ofwhich isinclinedg'over the rear end-of thefeederY house conveyor; llaypassing runder' a rollerY 82u"` and thenjrearwardly in spaced'relation above; the

floor l80a toengage thecrop material thereon. The conveyor. 81al comprisesv apair Aof laterally spaced chains 83d, which are interconnectedl by a plurality of spaced transverse slatsi 84a. The conveyor Bla passes over a rear roller 85a, which isV journaled ooaxially ywith the pivot` axis of the platform structure, and thus does not change` its position when the structure Vis adjusted vertically.

From` the roller 85a thec'onveyor is trained forvvardly` over a comparatively large roller 86a positioned the upper portion of the feeder house 26a, above the feeder house conveyor 46a. It will be notedjthat the inclinedportion ,of the lower ilightjv of Ythis conveyory acts lto` stripA material from the conveyor 46a and'to force itvagainst the rear portion of the floor 80u to'compress the material'to facilitate eedingintolthe crop treating mechanism. f

This embodiment further. d iiers'from that of lfigures 1 and 2in that the inner supporting bear- A .Referring new more particularlyto Iig'ures 5 and @this embodiment is similarl tothe embodimentshownin Figures 3 and 4, except that the auger conveyor has been replaced byl a transvelrselyr disposed raddle type conveyor, indicatedy invit's entirety by reference` numeral 90b. The conveyor V90b comprisesy a transversely disposed conveyor trough Selb, rigidly supported on the feeder heuse 2Gb and extending) laterally therefrom, inI a grainward direction. Thel trough is supported ,on a pair of laterally spacedarms 13b,

fixed `to. theV transverse supportingl beamr "10b, Wzhich .is mounted `on .therzaxis of vertical swingingf movement ofthe conveyor. structure and carried in an outboard .bearing l'12b and anarm V'Hb IflXed t0 the main frame beamjl2b; The conveyor 99h also includes a pair, ofendless ,chains 92h interconnected by,A aplurality of `spaced slats y931), .whichsweep thel crop material over apsheet 94h laterally to the Vfeeder house: conveyor 46h. In fotherzrespects, this embodiment issimilar 4to that of, Figures 3 and- .4.` and '.therefore..corresponding ',parts'; vare a given corresponding. reference numeraiseto, which thefsuixebhas been-added. A Referring A now.' more;particularly sto; Eiguresdl l? I v the remainderI ofthe crops therefrom and 'movingthe same laterallyto discharge the same up- `on said'f'c'onveyor inthe neckA portion of` said ancii 81 this `embodiment.Idassfazgeat number',y of details in L common'. with -Figuresg 3i and: 4; and therefore similar reference: numerals.: with the suix 'c' have been i used.' Infthis embodiment,zthe forward =portionf56ioftheplatformhas'beeniomit ted; and the'. cutters bar. 615e. is:l supported; along the for-'Wardz edge of the`- auger conveyor.; trough 1110,.'which, in thisembodiment, isextendedfacross the; forwardendyc thefeeder house 26e'. The auger 30e has-also :been i extended'-l across -4irufront ofthe. feeder housey conveyor-46c; and;` the;v inner end of the auger-isjournaled'x in a .bearingf 961:',l supported `on the vrstubblewards-wall of;A the .feeder house', extended. forwardlyrto provider an; inner end wall.Z to the conveyor. trough; 21o; v'Iherhel-iacalivaney 33e of. the auger extendsffron'i thefgrairrward end ofrtheplatform tovv the glrainward: side 'o'frthe lfeeder; housing and a.reverselywound .'helicali blade 81e extends fromtheistubbleward end ofY theplatform `acrossgthe 4feeder. housing: to thetermination of the.blade;33b.i Itzmay bedesirable to extendy theebladeiic acrosszagportion of the feeder liouseaand toterminate'. thei blade 91C "ahead of A an intermediate: portion =of1thewfeed erf-house. yThe .blade 91d assistsxinrsweeping `harvested crop from; the cutterbar to theefeeder house, conveyor 46c. I

f In this lembodiment thefforward; roller; Mic-tof the;` upper feeder raddle 8 le isf; positionedadaz- .centy the edgevof the blade; 9;'lczand actsz'tozstrip the latter, as welles; tdeooperate lwithzthealower feeder f house conveyorvdci to compress; the :crop

vmaterialr'against they floor 80e; `ofthe". feeder v house and toegfeed the same into the threshery bodyzt l Y ,It;will1 be4 evidentrtothose ski'liedgin'. `the art that a-:rharvester': of*v the: type fdescribed herein has: a width of cutnearly equalfto z the widthV of the, 4machine when inftransport. Witlnthis type of ldesign, however; 'the threshing cylindenineed Inet-z b egasm/ide'. as :the 'platforrm thus: permitting greater Width oircutf than is. possible.; with; the

H-I claim: l

l; A# harvester? comprising a.wheel-`supported straight through type Y of harvester'.-

bodya. harvester platform having t a` vneck` vportion substantially equal in Width 'to-said* body :and pivotally connected tothel forward-1Y end .thereofrby means providingV for vertical swinging movement about a transverse axis, aflexible endlessconveyorfin said neck portion for moving.l crops into .the body,y said'platfornr having a rigid: lateral extensionbeyoridoneV side `of' said 4neckl portion; a cutter 4barv extending kalongthe forward end'- of' said platform along thefrontfof 'said:neck..portion and' `said-lateral` extension, a -exibleendless conveyor mounted's'on theplatform behind said cutterA bai" and' coextensive gtherewith and 1- movable' rearwardly *Y and' upwardlywtlierefrorn substantiallirf in a` singlefplaneto `discharge a `portion ofzc the cropsdirectly upon .saidconveyor inisaid neck portion; `and a conveyormounted on'fs'aid pivotedl platforn behind said-'rearwardly movable conveyor for receiving platform.

.2. A harvesterr comprising afnarroWr-longitudinally extending.. mobile: bodyi a flexible' endless conveyor` disposed longitudinally in the forplatform 'rigidrlylattachedto saidloody;l la transversely disposed conveyor mounted on said platform and adapted to'deliver crops rto said endless conveyor, an adjustable platformmsection pivotally connected to: and extending forwardly from said laterally extending platform, :and swingable `vertically about a transverse` axis, a cutter bar extending transversely along the forward edge of'said `adjustable section,v and aexible endless conveyor extending across said pivoted platformV section behind said cutter bar and movable rearwardly gtherefrom, for delivering crops to the transverse conveyor. j

3. A harvester comprising a narrow, longitudinally extending mobile'body, .a flexible endless conveyor disposed longitudinally in the forward end of` said body'for moving cropsrearwardly into the latter, a conveyor `trough extending laterally from said body and rigidly supported thereon, an auger mounted in said trough for moving `crops to.said endless. conveyor, an adjustable platform section pivotally`connected to and extending yforwardly from said laterally extending platform, and swingablevertically about a transverse axis, a cutter bar extending transversely along the forward edge of said adjustable section, and aflexible endless conveyor extending across said pivoted 'platform section behind said cutter bar and movable rearwardly therefrom, for delivering 30 crops to the transverse conveyor.

4. Alharvester. comprising a narrow, longitudinally extending mobile body, Ja flexible endless conveyor disposed longitudinally inthe forward end of said body for moving crops. rearwardly into the latter, a conveyor trough extendlng laterally from said 'conveyorat a higher elevvation than the latter and rigidly attached to `the body, an auger mounted in said trough for moving crops to, said conveyorfa vertically ',adjustable platform section pivotally connected to said `trough and extending' acrossthe forward end of said body, a cutter bar extending along the forward yend of said platform section, and a flexible` endless conveyor mounted on the latA `ter and movable upwardly and rearwardly from said cutter bar and adapted to discharge a por'- tion of the harvested crop upon said longitudinally disposed conveyor and the remainder into said trough to be conveyed laterally into said" conveyor.,

-5. A harvester comprising a body having an opening in the forward end for receiving crops, a feeder housing extending forwardly from said crop receiving opening, a feeder conveyor in said housing, a conveyor trough extending laterally from said feeder housing and at athigher elevation than the floor of said housing, conveying means in saidV trough adapted to move crops toward said feeder house, a crop elevating platform extending forwardly from said feeder Vhousing and said conveyor trough, a transverse cutter bar disposedalong th'e forward end of said platform, and aI draper on `said platform having an upper flight movable in a single plane for4 moving crops rearwardly from said cutter bar and discharging al portion upon said feeder `conveyor and delivering the remainder to said conveying means in said trough.

6. A harvester comprising a body having an opening in the forward end for receiving crops, a feeder housing extending forwardly from said crop receiving opening, a feeder conveyor in said housing,` a conveyor trough extending laterally from said feeder housing andat a higher eleva- Y trough,A a transverse cutter bar disposed'along the forward endnoflsaid platform, and elevating mean'sfon said.` platform forfmoving crops rearwardly from said cutter bar and discharging a portionupon said4 feeder conveyor and delivering theremainderto said flexible endless conveyorinsaidvtrough. r i

7.V harvester `comprising a'y body having an opening'n the forward end for receiving crops, a feeder housing extending forwardlyfrom' said crop receivingopeningfa harvester platform extending laterally from said feeder housing, a conveyor on said platform operative to move crops laterallyito said housing, a flexible endless conveyor disposed longitudinally in said housing and upon which ,said platform conveyor is adapted to ,dischargecrops said flexible conveyorterminating intermediate of said housing, and adapted to discharge'crops upon the rear portion of the-floor of said housing, and a raddle conveyorspaced above said Vfloor portion and movablerearwardly in engagement with said crops to sweep the same into saidbody. f 8; A harvestercomprising a body having an opening in the 'forward end for receiving crops, a feederhousing extending forwardly from said crop receiving openngfa conveyor trough extending' laterally from said housingandat a higher' elevation' than the floor ofthe latter, an auger conveyor disposed Vin'said trough for'rnoving cropsr to said feeder house, a platform extending forwardly from said trough and from the forward end of said feeder house at a raised position above the latter, a cutter bar extending 4transversely across'the forward end of said platform, a flexible endless conveyor movable rearwardly vtoconvey crops from said cutter bar and deposit thesame in said trough and feeder house, a separateflexible endless,` conveyor disposed in 'said feeder house beneath the ends of said trough conveyor and `said platform conveyor, and terminating Yat an intermediate portion of said feeder house, and a raddle conveyor having a `rearwardly travelling lower flight inclined downla harvester platform structure pivotally con- -nected to said housing adjacent vsaid-opening and incl'udinga feeder housing extending forwardly from said 'crop receiving opening, a conveyor trough supported rigidly on said housing at a higher elevation than the floor of the latter and extending laterally therefrom, a transverse conveyor disposed in said trough for moving crops to `said feeder house, a' platform extending rigidly forwardlyfrom said trough and from the forward end of said feeder housing at a raised position .above the' latter, a cutter bar extending trans- Avers'elyacross theforward end of said platform, a .fiexible endless conveyor movable rearwardly to 'convey crops from said cutter bar and deposit the vsame insaid trough and feeder house, a separate flexible endless conveyor disposed in said feeder house beneath the ends of said trough conveyor and said platform conveyor, and terminating at an intermediate portion of said feeder house, and a raddle conveyor having a rearwardly travelling lower ight inclined downwardly and rearwardly over the rear end of said iiexible conveyor and continuing rearwardly in spaced relation above said floor portion in engagement with said crops to sweep the same into said body.

l0. In a harvester, a platform conveyor including a transversely disposed trough open' along the front end having crop gathering means disposed along the forward edge of the trough and an auger disposed in the trough for moving crops laterally to a point of discharge, said trough having a back wall opposite said gathering means, and means for rotatably supporting said auger in said trough including bearing means adjacent the end remote from said point of discharge and a bearing standard attached to said back wall and extending forwardly therefrom near said point of discharge.

11. In a harvester, a platform conveyor including a transversely disposed trough open along the front end having crop gathering means disposed along the forward edge and a generally vertical back wall opposite said gathering means, an auger disposed in the trough and spaced from said back wall for moving crops laterally to a point of discharge at one end, a stripper plate extending forwardly from the back wall and having a stripping edge adjacent the auger blade, and means for rotatably supporting said auger including bearing mea-ns at the other end of said trough and a bearing standard adjacent the discharge end of the trough and attached to the back wall at upper edge of the latter and curving forwardly and downwardly above said stripper plate to the auger.

12. In a harvester, a conveyor comprising a trough having one side open and a wall extending generally parallel thereto and spaced therefrom to provide space for material conveyed thereby, the upper end of said wall being eX- tended forwardly toward the top of said auger and having a stripping edge adjacent the auger blades, a supporting standard fixed to said wall and arching over the top of said forwardly extending portion and projecting downwardly beyond said stripping edge, and a bearing for said auger at the end of said standard.

13. In a harvester, a feeder house, a platform trough extending laterally from one wall thereof, said trough having an end wall and a back wall, an auger disposed in said trough and supported by a bearing at one end mounted on said end wall, the opposite end of said auger terminating substantially at said wall of the feeder house, a stripper plate extending forwardly from said back wall and having a stripping edge adjacent the auger blades, a supporting standard fixed to said wall and arching over the top of said forwardly extending portion and projecting downwardly beyond said stripping edge, and a bearing for said auger at the end of said standard.

14. In a harvester, a platform trough having an end wall and a back wall, an auger disposed in said trough and supported by a bearing attached to said end wall, a second bearing in which said auger is journaled, spaced from said end wall bea-ring intermediate the ends of said auger, a standard for supporting said second bearing, said auger having a slot in its blade to accommodate said standard, and a stripper plate extending forwardly from said back wall over said auger, said standard extending upwardly from said bearing over said stripper plate and having means for mounting said standard on said back wall.

ALVIN W. OEHLER. 

